Snow days are magical in every sense, it brings with it a feeling of joy the moment it hits the ground. But there is a darker side to all this magic and that is the task of clearing the snow.
Clearing the snow for the pavement, the driveway, the front door or your porch is a chore, and a tough one at that. You may want to be prepared for the snow days and be ready with the right tool kits.One of the few online services that helps with predicting the snow day is snowday calculator . Though there are snow plough services around your place, not all can afford to it and it may not be needed all the times.
However, there are a few points that you could adopt to avoid being in this situation and to avoid getting snowed in.
1. Shoveling:
The trick to proper shoveling is to invest in a good, ergonomic shovel. If you are going to be doing the shoveling yourself, it is always a better idea to buy the shovel yourself so that you can test out the grip, the handle and figuring out whether the size is right for you or not.
Shoveling packed snow is harder, so you might want to avoid shoveling the pathway after you have walked on it or driven on it. Also, don’t wait to shovel out snow after it has risen to a level that covers your knees! Shoveling snow that is loose on the ground and that is not packed is easier and it would consume less time. Moreover, it would be easier for you to shovel out the snow.
For the right shoveling, physics comes to the rescue to give you the optimal shoveling technique. You have to remember to keep your upper body near the shovel with your right hand on the handle, and while shoveling the snow up, concentrating the weight on your legs would give you optimum results.
It is also important to hydrate before shoveling as shoveling takes up strength and you would not want to find yourself cramping up due to dehydration. Working in groups would help finish the task earlier and in keeping up the morale code during the task too.
2. Snow blower:
If you want speed, and is willing to spend some extra bucks, investing in a snow blower is a great idea, especially if you live in an area with constant snow. Every snow blower is different and regardless of what they say about their speed, it is important that you test and try out the snow blower yourself to find the optimal speed of your snow blower.
Snow blowers have a tendency to spilling snow on the sides if you go too fast, and if you go too slowly, snow blowers will probably take up time in clearing arcs of snow. So, it is important to see how your snow blower works.
The working of a snow blower will also depend on the area that needs snow clearing. And depending on that, the way you maneuver your snow blower will also come into effect.
Experts say that the best way to use a snow blower is to start in the middle, so that the snow is blown away to the sides, make a u-turn and cover the sides finally. Alternating these steps will get you to where you want to go.
It is also important to concern yourself with safety while using a snow blower because you can never be too careful. Do make sure to never over exert while using a snow blower, and to take breaks whenever required.
3. Rock salt:
Rock salt lowers the melting point of water. This means that rock salt can lower the melting point of water below 1°C. Spreading rock salt on top of snow can help the ice to thaw. Although using rock salt to remove ice is not a solution for a large scale removal but it is still plausible.
Rock salt is best used when there is a little bit of sunshine, most preferably 15°C or above. Spreading rock salt on top of snow could help it thaw a little which would give you a head start before you shovel or use a snow blower.
It is to be taken with a pinch of salt that there are some environmental concerns on using salt rock, as the sodium and the chlorine in the salt can leach on the ground. So, rock salt is to be used only when it is absolutely necessary.
Enjoy your winter and be safe!!
